Serving those in need

Many volunteer at organizations providing food for Thanksgiving

Bernice Savage and Robert Williams, members of Alberta Baptist Church, serve cranberries to Bernice Stepney, seated with her mother, Maggie Davis, left, and brother, Earl Davis, during the second annual Alberta Community Thanksgiving Lunch on Thursday. The event is organized by members of the Helping Hands ministry of Alberta Baptist Church.

Michelle Lepianka Carter | The Tuscaloosa News

By Mark Hughes CobbStaff Writer

Published: Friday, November 23, 2012 at 3:30 a.m.

Last Modified: Thursday, November 22, 2012 at 11:26 p.m.

Local organizations opened their doors Thursday as volunteers and others gave up their traditional Thanksgiving lunch to serve others, including those who didn’t have a home to go to for Thanksgiving dinner.

For its 2012 Thanksgiving, Alberta Baptist Church once again set up a 40- by 60-foot red-striped tent large enough to hold hundreds, in the parking lot behind its still-uninhabitable building. The building was decimated by the April 27, 2011, tornado that destroyed so much of surrounding neighborhood.

“There’s always need. Even if there’d been no storm, there’d be need,” said the church’s pastor, the Rev. Larry Corder. Alberta Baptist started the Thanksgiving lunches last November.

“There are still people experiencing the aftereffects of the storm. We have a homeless man here today who wants a tent to live in. Jesus fed the hungry, but that was just a beginning to what he did; we are also about meeting deeper needs. If you fill the spirit, that will benefit someone for all eternity, not just on our lifespan here on earth.

“We just want people to know we love them and care for them.”

The church’s congregation continues to meet at Open Door Baptist while awaiting the money and construction efforts to restore its location at 2210 University Blvd. E., right in the heart of the devastation.

Corder and others remarked on the beauty of the day, and how far the area had come since last year’s first tent Thanksgiving. Church members had traveled through the area in recent weeks, making sure that all felt welcome. By noon, they’d seen visitors from the area, but also from throughout the county.

The event also served as a reminder of the church’s presence in Alberta.

Another growing tradition seems to be doubling in numbers, downtown at Chuck’s Fish. For Thanksgiving, the fine-dining restaurant opens its tables to everyone, regardless of need. Those who can pay for their meal contribute to Project Blessings, a nonprofit organization that helps low-income or underprivileged homeowners make much-needed repairs through volunteers, donations and reduced-pricing for skilled laborers. Project Blessings works on 15 to 20 homes a year, and donations are its only source of funding. Buckets for donations are placed around the restaurant, but no one is urged to give.

“We’ve made about $4,500 the past two years,” said Martha Sprayberry, who began Project Blessings in 2009. “But this is not about the money.”

Co-owner Charles Morgan started the giving tradition almost two decades ago at his Destin, Fla., restaurant Harbor Docks, which serves 2,000 or more for its Thanksgiving feast. He predicted in 2011 that the word of mouth would increase attendance at Chuck’s Fish, on Greensboro Avenue. He seems to have been right, as numbers had already exceeded last year’s roughly 250 by halfway through the day.

“We prepared for 600, and so far we’ve done over half that,” said co-owner Cris Eddings, speaking at about 1 p.m. The meal, planned for weeks in advance and prepped by the Chuck’s chef for at least a week, was to be served from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. People were waiting in line when doors opened at 11.

Patrons came for different reasons: For some, it was just a chance to enjoy a good meal of turkey breasts, smoked ham, green beans, potatoes, stuffing and pecan pie. For others, it was the meal and a chance to contribute to a good cause. For University of Alabama professor Sue Parker, it was a chance to bring folks who were far from home, including a couple of friends from Israel.

And then there were more practical considerations.

“No dishes, no cleanup, no cooking? Outstanding,” said Liz Obradovich, who owns Holiday Inn Express in Tuscaloosa, and was encouraging all the guests at her hotel to come to Chuck’s. There were 26 people in her party, sprawled over two floors of the restaurant.

“It was so perfect,” she said. “We get to do something good for (Project Blessings) and go home and have a great day.”

Although 60 volunteers signed up to work, about 100 actually showed, said Kellee Reinhart, who with her husband Steve has been in on the charity lunch since its beginnings. “People just fell from the sky. And we needed them.”

By the end of the day, Chuck’s had served about 400 people and raised about $8,000 for Project Blessings.

<p>Local organizations opened their doors Thursday as volunteers and others gave up their traditional Thanksgiving lunch to serve others, including those who didn't have a home to go to for Thanksgiving dinner.</p><p>For its 2012 Thanksgiving, Alberta Baptist Church once again set up a 40- by 60-foot red-striped tent large enough to hold hundreds, in the parking lot behind its still-uninhabitable building. The building was decimated by the April 27, 2011, tornado that destroyed so much of surrounding neighborhood.</p><p>“There's always need. Even if there'd been no storm, there'd be need,” said the church's pastor, the Rev. Larry Corder. Alberta Baptist started the Thanksgiving lunches last November.</p><p>“There are still people experiencing the aftereffects of the storm. We have a homeless man here today who wants a tent to live in. Jesus fed the hungry, but that was just a beginning to what he did; we are also about meeting deeper needs. If you fill the spirit, that will benefit someone for all eternity, not just on our lifespan here on earth. </p><p>“We just want people to know we love them and care for them.”</p><p>The church's congregation continues to meet at Open Door Baptist while awaiting the money and construction efforts to restore its location at 2210 University Blvd. E., right in the heart of the devastation. </p><p>Corder and others remarked on the beauty of the day, and how far the area had come since last year's first tent Thanksgiving. Church members had traveled through the area in recent weeks, making sure that all felt welcome. By noon, they'd seen visitors from the area, but also from throughout the county.</p><p>The event also served as a reminder of the church's presence in Alberta.</p><p>“We want people to know we're coming back; we're rebuilding,” Corder said.</p><p>Another growing tradition seems to be doubling in numbers, downtown at Chuck's Fish. For Thanksgiving, the fine-dining restaurant opens its tables to everyone, regardless of need. Those who can pay for their meal contribute to Project Blessings, a nonprofit organization that helps low-income or underprivileged homeowners make much-needed repairs through volunteers, donations and reduced-pricing for skilled laborers. Project Blessings works on 15 to 20 homes a year, and donations are its only source of funding. Buckets for donations are placed around the restaurant, but no one is urged to give.</p><p>“We've made about $4,500 the past two years,” said Martha Sprayberry, who began Project Blessings in 2009. “But this is not about the money.”</p><p>Co-owner Charles Morgan started the giving tradition almost two decades ago at his Destin, Fla., restaurant Harbor Docks, which serves 2,000 or more for its Thanksgiving feast. He predicted in 2011 that the word of mouth would increase attendance at Chuck's Fish, on Greensboro Avenue. He seems to have been right, as numbers had already exceeded last year's roughly 250 by halfway through the day.</p><p>“We prepared for 600, and so far we've done over half that,” said co-owner Cris Eddings, speaking at about 1 p.m. The meal, planned for weeks in advance and prepped by the Chuck's chef for at least a week, was to be served from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. People were waiting in line when doors opened at 11.</p><p>Patrons came for different reasons: For some, it was just a chance to enjoy a good meal of turkey breasts, smoked ham, green beans, potatoes, stuffing and pecan pie. For others, it was the meal and a chance to contribute to a good cause. For University of Alabama professor Sue Parker, it was a chance to bring folks who were far from home, including a couple of friends from Israel.</p><p>And then there were more practical considerations.</p><p>“No dishes, no cleanup, no cooking? Outstanding,” said Liz Obradovich, who owns Holiday Inn Express in Tuscaloosa, and was encouraging all the guests at her hotel to come to Chuck's. There were 26 people in her party, sprawled over two floors of the restaurant.</p><p>“It was so perfect,” she said. “We get to do something good for (Project Blessings) and go home and have a great day.”</p><p>Although 60 volunteers signed up to work, about 100 actually showed, said Kellee Reinhart, who with her husband Steve has been in on the charity lunch since its beginnings. “People just fell from the sky. And we needed them.”</p><p>By the end of the day, Chuck's had served about 400 people and raised about $8,000 for Project Blessings.</p>